English Footballer Banned From Driving For Mobile Phone Use

English footballer Jermain Defoe may be banned from driving after pleading guilty to using his mobile phone while driving. He may play for the England national football team as well as the Tottenham Hotspur English Premier League but that doesn't mean that he's above the law.

Driving bans are among the most common cell phone laws around the world. Many governments have adopted laws to prevent talking or texting while behind the wheel. Of course, these laws typically don't ban you from the road all together. In Defoe's case, the problem is that he's racked up a number of other driving penalties in recent years.

The football star seems to have a problem with speeding. Less than a year ago he was penalized with a six month ban from driving. He hadn't been driving again for long when he was caught with the mobile phone behind the wheel.

Originally, Defoe did try to weasel his way out of the charge. He pled not guilty and hired celebrity lawyer Nick Freeman to try to find a loophole in the cell phone law that would get him out of the sticky situation. Freeman made more than one attempt, appealing the charge using a range of different excuses including:

Maybe Defoe wasn't really driving since there was no "proof".

The paperwork for the charge wasn't properly executed.

The court couldn't actually prove that Defoe had received the prior speeding notices.

The court couldn't prove that he didn't respond to the notices.

The appeals judge essentially said that all of these claims were ridiculous and that the mobile phone ban should definitely come into play in regards to the case. Facing this decision, Defoe went ahead and decided to plead guilty after all.

Comments

To comment on this article, you must sign in or sign up and post using a HubPages Network account.

ocbill 7 years agofrom hopefully somewhere peaceful and nice

I am glad it happened. CA's cell hands-on usage penalty is incredibly lenient. a $20 fine if caught. It should be $500 and similar restriction on your license like alcohol because you are an impaired driver. The state needs money and it will save lives.

Lori J Latimer 7 years agofrom The River Valley, Arkansas

Ophra Winfrey conducted extensive tests in a safe environment, proving that cell phone use is distracting..."Hang Up and Drive!'

L M Reid 7 years agofrom Ireland

Yes all drivers should be banned for using their mobile or cell phones while driving. It is only a few penalty points added if found guily here in Ireland as well.

Driving and using a phone can cause an accident and death. The punishment should be more severe. As for Defoe he is a great footballer but like most of the footballers on huge amounts of wages they think they own the roads with their fast and expensive cars.

Vernon Bradley 7 years agofrom Yucaipa, California

As you know, some folks are just FREEbees. I am not a rigid rule follower, myself, but sometimes FREEbees drive me insane, altho at times I admire their risk taking. Altho, there smacks a tad of Narcissism in Defoe's case, and may he isn't a FREEbee at all, but just plain conscienceless!!

You share these tidbits of information which I would never even read or hear about otherwise! They are intersting and worth knowing about, so I thank you!